Pair who robbed taxi driver at knifepoint are jailed

Two men have been jailed for their roles in the knifepoint robbery of a taxi driver on a Bradford estate.

Tanveer Hussain suffered a cut to his hand as he grappled with knife-wielding Timothy Jackson, but was defending himself well until co-accused Anthony Bakes punched him in the head, knocking him to the floor.

Jackson, 25, was yesterday jailed for four years at Bradford Crown Court. Bakes, 20, was locked up for two years.

Sentencing them, the judge, Recorder Jeremy Barnett, said taxi drivers were to be protected by the courts. “They do a difficult and dangerous job, often at night,” he added.

Bakes, of Thackeray Road, Ravenscliffe, Bradford, had pleaded guilty to robbery. Jackson, of Falkland Road, Ravenscliffe, denied robbery and possessing an offensive weapon, but was convicted by a jury of both charges. He claimed he was asleep at his sister’s house when the robbery took place.

Prosecutor Anthony Dunne said Mr Hussain, who worked for Eccleshill Premier Cars, was called to an address at Roundwood Avenue, Ravenscliffe, at 2am on December 14 last year. He took three passengers, including Bakes, to the Post Office in Ravenscliffe Avenue, where the woman passenger went to the cashpoint machine, while the two men remained in the car.

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A fourth man, found by the jury to be Jackson, then appeared and had a confrontation with Mr Hussain at the driver’s door, with the defendant demanding that another taxi be called.

A knife fell from Jackson’s clothing. He picked it up, held it towards Mr Hussain’s chest and said: “Give me everything you’ve got.” Mr Hussain resisted and tried to take the knife from the defendant. Bakes then got out of the taxi and delivered a forceful blow to the taxi driver’s head.

Recorder Barnett said he sentenced the men on the basis the robbery was an opportunistic offence, and not planned.

He added: “Nevertheless, it was a serious matter.”

The judge said: “I have remarked on the bravery of the taxi driver. It’s clear he acted very courageously.”

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Detective Inspector Alan Flynn, of Bradford District CID, said: “This was a traumatic ordeal for the victim.

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